American runners caught up in bizarre half marathon controversy given exemption

Three American runners who were guided disconnected people during the U.S. Half Marathon Championships were fixed exemptions to the World Road Running Championships.

World Athletics said it would let the U.S. to bring 7 runners to the World Road Running Championships successful September aft Jessica McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were led disconnected people during the fractional marathon successful Atlanta earlier this month.

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Jessica McClain (USA) places eighth successful the women's marathon successful 2:28:32 during the World Athletics Championships astatine National Stadium connected Sept. 14, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

The governing assemblage of way and tract said lone 4 runners volition beryllium entered arsenic "scoring athletes," meaning the different 3 volition beryllium incapable to vie for medals oregon prize wealth astatine the satellite championships successful Copenhagen.

"In moving to find a solution, World Athletics has been sympathetic to the impacted athletes who would different miss retired connected competing astatine the WRRC Copenhagen 2026, and knowing of the unprecedented concern USATF – 1 of our starring Member Federations – has recovered itself in," World Athletics said.

The enactment added that USA Track and Field (USATF) volition beryllium capable to prime which 4 athletes are entered arsenic scoring athletes.

Ednah Kurgat (USA) places 10th successful the elder women's contention successful 33:16 during the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 astatine Apalachee Regional Park connected Jan. 10, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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USATF said that "we are grateful for their collaboration successful helping america grant each the athletes progressive successful this bonzer situation."

World Athletics said the concern astir McClain, Hurley and Kurgat were progressive successful an "extraordinary acceptable of circumstances" astatine the U.S. Half Marathon Championships successful Atlanta.

McClain was starring the contention with astir 2 miles remaining. But her contention was thrown disconnected people arsenic she was led disconnected the way by a media vehicle. McClain followed the media vehicle, constabulary motorcycle and a motorcycle with a camera.

She finished successful ninth spot portion Hurley and Kurgat finished successful 12th and 13th respectively.

"Good things instrumentality time," McClain wrote successful a station connected her Instagram Stories.

The archetypal pistillate to transverse the decorativeness enactment of the half-marathon, Emma Grace Hurley, of Indianapolis, won her class successful a clip of 1:08:25. Runners vie successful the 17th Annual Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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World Athletics made wide that its determination was a "strictly one-off basis."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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